Field Observation Packet Edu 202

CSN Education Department - Field
Observation Activities Packet

Greetings Future Educator,

One of the most rewarding aspects of EDU 202 is the opportunity you’ll have to observe in a school classroom
where students are actively engaged in learning. Each of these three CSN courses require all students to
complete a 10 hour "Field Observation" in a Clark County public school.

Once your placement is processed, you will receive details regarding your assigned school from your CSN
professor. Only then, will you contact the school and meet with your CCSD “cooperating teacher”. Both you and
your cooperating teacher will design a mutually agreeable schedule to complete your required contact hours
once you meet for the first time.

Within this packet, you will find the required field experience assignments and other documents that you must
complete in order to pass this class.

Your Name: >>> Aubreanna Velasco

CSN Course: EDU 202 Intro. to Secondary Education

Professor: Connie Christensen

Professor’s email: connie.christensen@csn.edu

CCSD School: >>> Las Vegas High School

Cooperating Teacher: >>> Mrs. Rose Koteff

BEFORE ARRIVING ON THE FIRST DAY...

CSN Field Observation Packet © CSN Education Department 2017 Page 1
1. Locate your assigned school on a map, or via the CCSD website, and arrive during the Initial Visitation Week
dates provided to you by your CSN instructor. This initial visit will be your chance to gather information about
your assigned cooperating CCSD teacher. School locations and other information can be found on the CCSD
web site at http://ccsd.net/schools/contact-information/

2. Pre-plan for an on-time arrival, and make sure that all interaction with CCSD employees and students is
respectful, courteous, and professional. You are a guest in their school, and a representative of this class and
the college. CCSD is allowing you to visit their school to further your understanding of the teaching profession. It
is imperative that your actions reflect a willingness to learn, and are reflective of a future professional educator.

3. The first half of your field observation/experience will be centered around learning about the school you were
assigned, and focusing on the general and unique characteristics of its culture. You will be looking at and
reflecting upon things that are going on in the classroom at the school level that you were assigned. You are
simply observing during this time. Your cooperating teacher will give you guidance on how your experience can
be expanded beyond simple observations, when he/she feels comfortable with your professionalism and skills.

UPON ARRIVAL THE FIRST DAY…
Check in at the school office and let the Office Manager know that you are a CSN Education student who has
been placed with a cooperating teacher at their school for Field Observation. Be patient while the information
you’ll need is located by the Office Manager. The request for placement came through Interact™ from our Field
Observation Coordinator, and has been pre-approved by the school’s administrator. During this initial visit, some
of you may be sent directly to the classroom to meet your cooperating teacher, some of you may be given contact
information for the cooperating teacher, and then will return on a different day for your first classroom visit.

UPON ARRIVAL TO THE CLASSROOM…
Introduce yourself to your assigned Cooperating Teacher. Since this is your first visit, ask the teacher where
he/she would like you to sit while you complete your observation hours for this CSN Introduction to Education
class. Show the teacher this “Field Observation Activities Packet”, as well as the last 3 pages which contain the
“Cooperating Teacher Information”, the “Time Log” and “Field Observation Student Evaluation” pages.
Let the teacher know that you will be taking notes during the observation for your packet assignments, and that
you will be asking him/her to verify your hours of attendance, and evaluate your participation once the total
observation hours are complete.

DEPARTMENT OF TEACHER EDUCATION FIELD EXPERIENCE GUIDELINES

Standards of Conduct
You are student representatives of the CSN Education Department and the teaching profession. Candidates are
expected to maintain high standards of personal and professional ethics.

Attendance and Punctuality
Regular attendance and punctuality are mandatory. Once you plan a schedule with the cooperating teacher, this
becomes an agreement in which you are expected to adhere to. You are expected to sign in and out at the
school (as required by the school office and/or program). In case of illness or emergency, you must contact the
assigned school and let them know you will not be in attendance on that day so they can notify your cooperating
teacher.

Relationships
You should exercise respectful discretion when voicing your personal views. It is important that your demeanor
and opinions remain confidential. Under no circumstances can information about any students be released to,
or discussed with, any unauthorized person. It is forbidden to have any contact with students outside of the
classroom you are assigned. This restriction also includes CSN students contacting CCSD students using any
electronic means or through the use of social media.


Dress Code
CSN Department of Education wants you to be a success. Therefore we have established a dress code for
students fulfilling their observation requirement in the assigned school district. Appearance creates credibility;
make a good first impression by dressing professionally.

Required Acceptable Attire:
Males:
• Shirts with collars
• Ties (optional) with button down shirts
• Khakis, trousers, slacks; belts if pants have loops, (no sagging, rips or tears)
• Simple jewelry
• Shoes and socks that cover the toes and heels

Females:
• Shirts or blouses that cover the shoulders & waist; no see-through or mesh
• Sweaters worn over shirt
• Pants, pantsuits, khakis, trousers, slacks (no sagging, rips or tears)
• Jumpers, dresses, skirts (in length from 2" above the knee to the ankle)
• Shoes and socks that cover the toes and heels
• Leggings worn under dresses/skirts/jumpers
• Simple jewelry or none
• Little (daytime) make-up

Not Acceptable Attire: jeans, shorts, tank tops, halter tops, muscle T-shirts, tight fitting clothing, warm-ups,
sandals, flip flops, stilettos; no cleavage showing, no sagging or frayed hems; no head covering except for
religious reasons, such as a yarmulke or turban-like. No nontraditional hair colors/styles. Undergarments and
tattoos should be covered. Remove facial jewelry. No perfume. *School principal/supervisor has the sole
discretion on questionable clothing or appearance that distracts from student learning.

Classroom Conduct:
At all times, the cooperating teacher maintains legal responsibility for pupils in his or her classroom. You should
never assume that responsibility and be left unsupervised with children. You should not discipline students. You
are an observer, who should take notes to discuss during your next education class meeting, or to record in your
Field Observation packet.

Professional Conduct:
Never speak to staff or students in an abusive manner.
Never touch or be alone with a student for any reason.
Never give a student food, drink, or other items without the teacher’s permission.
Never take photos/video of students or staff without written permission from the principal.
Never make or accept calls/text using any communication device.

CCSD WAIVERS

Review the terms of the CCSD Waiver Forms provided by your instructor.
“Student Statement of Responsibility” (Exhibit B)
“Student Confidentiality Statement” (Exhibit C)

Print, sign with a pen and submit the waivers as instructed by your CSN instructor. These 2 waiver documents
MUST be agreed to in order to secure your observation placement. Completion of the Field Observation is a
PASS/FAIL component of the course.


THE FIELD OBSERVATION PACKET
Read through all the assignments and take notes during your observation visits. You will gather
information on more than one assignment during an observation. Then, using your notes answer the
questions for each assignment.
All assignments must be Word Process except the classroom diagram. Your detailed
responses to assignment questions must demonstrate careful analysis of the questions and the
observation information.
Questions responses must include detailed explanations and examples from the classroom
observation. All responses must be written as complete sentences.
Do not include the questions. Use only the question numbers and include a reference to the
questions in the short essay response as demonstrated below:
● Assignment One - Question 1: What is your first impression of the classroom

environment?
● Response: The classroom environment is friendly and welcoming to the students and
seems a fun place to learn. The classroom is decorated with the students’ work,
interesting posters and the teacher shows respect to the students.

When it is time to submit the Field Observation Packet for grading:
print the cover page of the Field Observation Packet,
include all the observation assignments
include your Time Log and Cooperating Teacher Evaluations.
THE FIELD OBSERVATION ASSIGNMENTS

ASSIGNMENT #1 (Observation)

1: What are your first impressions of the classroom environment? Is it warm, inviting, organized, etc? Describe
the physical environment in detail.

My first impressions of the classroom environment upon entering was inviting and organized.
The desks are organized in groups of six and the teachers desk is off to the side in the corner
but still open facing the classroom. The classroom was very warm and when I asked a student if
it is typically hot in the classroom, she responded yes. There are two oscillating fans in each
corner of the classroom that students have the leisure to turn on and off as they please.
Towards the back of the classroom are 8 computers in a straight line with a long desk and
chairs for each computer. The walls are bare for the most part, however, there is a bulletin
board on the side of the classroom that has student news and announcement papers attached
to it. The walls also have posters of typical algebra and math rules to help students who may
need the reminder. Lastly, there is a long whiteboard in the front of the classroom that has daily
tasks, objectives and the bell schedule written on it. The teacher uses a smart board which is
projected in the middle of the whiteboard.

2: Please describe the student make-up of the class, including gender, ethnicity, ELL, students with physical
challenges, and any other apparent attributes that are important to note.

After observing most of the day, the student make-up of the class seems to be an equal amount
of boys and girls however, they are mainly of the Hispanic ethnicity and a handful of African
American. Many of her students are ELL and although most of them seem to speak English,
they speak Spanish openly towards their peers in the classroom. Mrs. Koteff did tell me that one
student in particular is an ELL student who barely speaks English and this student tends to act
out. There is another ELL student who you would not know was an ELL but she says he has
trouble processing math. Most if not all of the girls in the classroom are wearing seeing glasses,
which I thought was pretty interesting. Overall, the classroom is a lower level math class and
you can tell by student make-up of ELL and Hispanic students. They all seem to know one
another and each class has a warm feeling of friendship among the students.

3: Are their posted class rules? If rules are posted write them exactly as they appear.

There are two sets of posted class rules and they are right next to each other next to the clock.
The first sign reads "Basic Rules" 1. No food or open drink (water bottles and lids are ok) 2. No
outside devices (cell phones, mp4's, Ipods, PSP etc) 3. All school rules apply here (especially
dress code and tardy policies) 4. Treat everyone fairly (everyone has the right to learn) The
second set of rules are an acronym called KDP (Koteff's Daily Procedures) These are
individually written on five sheets of paper. 1. Be in your seat when the bell rings. 2. ask
questions, stay positive 3. Try your best! "F's" do not have to be permanent 4. Turn in your best
work 5. Follow directions.

4: Does the teacher enforce these posted rules? What rewards or consequences are used for compliance or
noncompliance?

The teacher does her best to enforce these rules however, her students are freshman and seem
to ignore the rules most of the time. If the teacher sees a student with their phone out she takes
it until the end of class, refusal to give up their phone ends up in being kicked out of the class
and in the deans office and from that point they will lose their phone the rest of the day. Any
other issues, the teacher will issue a detention for first offenders and for students who
repeatedly give her problems, she just calls for a hall monitor to remove them from the class.
Their is a rewards program she has in place and I love that it involves learning. There is a
computer program called IXL and it is a program that teaches them more on the current unit
they are learning. If students are all caught up on homework, they are able to use the computer
to work on this program. The program accumulates points and students can earn a music pass (
which allows them to listen to music on headphones during free time) or a homework pass
(student will get a pass on a homework assignment).

ASSIGNMENT #2 (Classroom Layout): Use graph paper or drawing software to create an accurate overhead
view, labeled drawing, of your assigned classroom. Then answer the questions below


1: Describe the workflow of the room. Is the space used efficiently?
In my opinion, the space of the classroom is used efficiently. The classroom has eight
computers lined in the back for students to use a program that is required by the school called
“I Ready” without distracting other students. Rules are posted clearly at the front near the clock
so they are always in students visual. The teachers space is open facing the classroom and it is
very welcoming toward the students.

2: In your opinion, how can the physical arrangement of the room be improved?

The physical arrangement of the room can be improved by lining the desks in rows instead of
groups of six. This particular teacher teaches pre algebra for freshman students and her classes
tend to be noisy and have behavioral problems. On my next observation day, the teacher did
move the desks back in rows and this significantly helped the overall flow of the classroom.

ASSIGNMENT #3 (Instruction): Observe any instructional time in your assigned classroom, and record your
observations when presented with the questions below:

1: What is the posted daily/weekly schedule for different subjects or periods?

The teacher has five pre algebra classes and an algebra one class so the whiteboard is
separated in half for both classes. This is posted daily and consists of four categories: Today,

EQ (Essential Question), Homework, and purpose. The today category explains what unit or
objective they are working on for the day. The essential question is simply that, a question of
the day that the students should be able to answer by the end of the lesson. The homework is
just the homework students are responsible for for the night and lastly, the purpose gives a
brief description of the unit being taught.

2: Is instruction delivered in small groups, centers, whole groups, individually?

Instruction is delivered to the entire class but the teacher gives them time during class to work
in groups to finish the homework for the night if they are behaving and let her get through the
notes. The notes are interactive and each student has a nice TI calculator that allows them to be
involved with the notes. While the students are working on homework, the teacher is walking
around making sure she is available to answer individual students questions.

3: Describe your cooperating teacher’s teaching style.

My cooperating teacher’s teaching style is similar to most teachers, she stands at the front of
the classroom and uses a smart board projector screen as a visual. She uses a small
microphone to talk into so the entire class can hear the instruction. Textbooks are available but
she does not use them, the school wants them to cut back on paper but she explained she uses
her own money to print homework and notes for her students. The notes are interactive with
examples that they work through together as a class.

4: How does the teacher incorporate the sensory modalities (learning styles)? Give examples.

The teacher uses a mixture of all three learning styles; auditory, visual and kinesthetic. Although
she does not use the textbooks, students are assigned older textbooks that they can tear pages
out of to further help them understand the unit. It doubles as a workbook. Hands on learning is
involved by the students having calculators. They are required to grab one as soon as they walk
into class. These calculators have files that the teacher uploads to them and this is how they do
warm ups and take quizzes.

5: Do the students seem engaged in the lesson(s) presented? Please explain.

I would say a little less than half of the students seem engaged in the lesson being presented.
Many students can be found talking amongst their peers or drawing and doodling. Another
issue I found is the amount of students with their heads down. She does have a rule against
this, however, it is very distracting to stop instruction time to tell them to put their heads up. The
answers are given out loud from students in unison versus raising their hands individually.

6: Are there any students isolated from the rest of the class? Explain?


One of the great things about her classes is that everyone seems to know one another so
isolation was not present. The most isolation I saw was moving a very disruptive student to a
desk closest to hers.

7: How does the teacher handle transitions from subject to subject or activity to activity? Are the transitions
efficient?

The teacher handles transitions from activity to activity with grace and to the best of her ability.
They are a little rough so it is tough to say it is efficient. The students have a short attention
span and whenever there is a transition period or subject change students take the opportunity
to begin talking amongst peers. Once this happens, it takes the teacher about ten minutes to
gain their attention for the next activity.

8: List ways the teacher uses “attention getting” commands, word phrases, signals, etc. Are they effective?

The teacher uses “attention getting” commands by counting down from five when the students
get noisy. This seems to work for majority of the class but there is always one student who has
to say something after the countdown to get laughs from the class. She also shushes the
classroom using the microphone which is pretty effective. Lastly, she has a list on the
whiteboard for students who are in line to use the bathroom and when they are continuously
talking she will start erasing names.

9: What specific behavior issues does the teacher have to deal with? How does the teacher handle the behavior
issues? Be specific.

Since five out of six of her classes are freshman students, she has to deal with a lot of
immaturity and behavioral issues. Majority of the class are ELL students and many are very
inattentive so they lose focus and interest quickly. As I have mentioned, her classes are very
talkative and some students are disrespectful to her some days. I have to give this teacher
major props because she handles these behaviors very well without getting upset and yelling.
For students who are constantly interrupting and causing problems, she will call the hall
monitor to come take them from class and they spend the rest of the period in the dean's office.
Students also have a hard time keeping their phones away and when she sees them out, she will
first issue a warning but second offenses she takes the phone for the rest of the period and will
give it to them at the end of class. Detentions are also given for students who have repetitive
bad behavior.

10: Are there any policies or procedures that help or hinder instructional time? Please explain them and how they
help or hinder instructional time.

Policies or procedures that help or hinder instructional time are some of the daily procedures
she has hanging in the front of the classroom. One of the policies are to ask questions and stay
positive. When interviewing the teacher she explained that her students come in with negative
attitudes some days because of personal problems so she created the procedure to help keep a

positive learning environment. It is also a constant reminder to students that it is okay to ask
questions. Treat everyone fairly is a policy that unfortunately seems to hinder instructional time.
Students are not very respectful towards one another and I wish this rule was enforced more
strictly.

ASSIGNMENT #4 (Culture): Using the questions below, carefully observe and evaluate the culture of the school..
Remember you are evaluating the school for its educational culture, place of learning, sense of safety, invitation
for learning, promotion of self-actualization, development of values and socialization.

Physical Characteristics: Look at the physical areas of the school to determine atmosphere, comfort, and
feelings the school creates for students in the educational setting.

1. Consider the school property: building, grounds, fencing, equipment, landscaping, trees, parking lot,
crosswalks, gates, signs and symbols. Describe in detail.

When you arrive to the school, there is a parking lot that provides plenty of parking for
teachers, staff and students. Trees are planted in islands in the parking lot as well. There
is a beautiful wildcat statue upon entry of the school and also a tall LED bulletin board
that highlights main events coming up in the school. There are big black gates when you
enter the school and during the middle of the day all but one gate is locked. There are
signs that say surveillance is 24 hours and signs that explain that you need either a hall
pass or visitors pass to be walking around the school. The school is two stories so there
are two sets of stairs in the front quad and a two sets of stairs in the back. There is also a
ramp for wheelchairs and an elevator if needed. The school colors are black, red and
white and this can be found all throughout the decor of the school. Doors are painted
black or red and there are huge LVHS letters with table seating outside for lunchtime
toward the back quad. There are crosswalks present all around the school, one to cross
the street from a church and a four way intersection at a stoplight has crosswalks as
well. The newest feature outside are the big black gates that open to the baseball field.
The gates are title “Gunderson Field” and the handles have a huge wildcat on them.
Overall a beautiful school from the outside looking in.

2. Next, study the interior of the school: halls, floor coverings, lighting, doors, windows, hall colors and
decorations and entrance security. Explain in detail.

The inside of the school needs some work. The hallways are brown and bare for the most
part, with a few motivational and educational signs but nothing too inviting. There are no
windows aside from the small ones that are on the double doors when entering the halls.
The teachers doors are brown with red paint bordering and a wildcat paw next to the
room number with their names on the outside. The carpets are your typical classroom
carpet; the blue/gray speckle and classrooms do not have windows unless they are on
the top floor facing the outside of the school. Entrance security is hit and miss, one week
there was no entrance security and the second visit there was. No precautions were
taken, I was just greeted with a good morning. There is a hall monitor usually driving
around a big orange cart to make sure students are luring in the bathrooms or walking
around without a pass.

Culture of the School: Read, listen and observe to determine the climate, values, and atmosphere within the
school.

1. Explain the school’s mission statement, motto, and mascot.

The schools mission statement is that Las Vegas High School will develop the minds of
the students so they can achieve their desired future goals. The school’s motto is Once a
wildcat, always a wildcat. The mascot is a wildcat. The mission statement in short,
explains that LVHS has a unique grading policy that allows students to re-do
assignments, quizzes and exams giving them the opportunity to master the standards at
any time during the semester. Las Vegas High School also provides extended hours for
students who need extra help from 2pm-4pm daily as well as on Saturdays from
8am-12pm. The motto once a wildcat, always a wildcat means exactly that. Once you
attend LVHS you are always welcomed back to the school to visit and even teach! This
school prides themselves not only on the focus of student success but the sense of
community they give their past, present and future students.

2. Analyze staff and visitor interactions in the main office. Note student and faculty interactions in other
areas of the school.

The office is a very high volume area. Inside the office you will find the counselors
offices, dean’s office, vice principle’s office and the staff mailroom and break room area.
All doors are open creating an open and welcoming environment and the staff greets
everyone with a smile. The front desk receptionist has been at the school over ten years
and is the most friendly of all. There are a few student aids that sit along the side of the
office chairs waiting for escort visitors or students if necessary. On my first day or arrival
a student aid walked me to my observation classroom and she was friendly. Throughout
the school, students and faculty seem to have a respectful relationship. Students are not
being disrespectful to staff, instead they acknowledge and say hi.

3. Observe student-to-student interactions, inside and outside of the building. Observe where students
gather to socialize – lunchroom, halls, common areas, etc.

One of my favorite things about this school is the sense of community. Not just between
students and teachers but student-to-student interactions as well. Students are in
groups and can be seen walking to class together. It is nice to see students interacting
and not being trapped in their cell phones. The hallways are monitored so students are
not seen stopped in the halls. This makes for a nice even flow of traffic so students can
get to class within the four minute time period they have. During lunch, students are
either in the lunchroom or outside in the quad. There is a big open quad right outside of
the lunchroom and also a smaller confined space behind the office with a few tables.

4. Explain how the school is organized- office, library, halls/classrooms, signs.

The school has a nice flow from the moment you walk in. There are gates when you walk
in and the office is the first major building you see. The school is two stories and there
are two staircases in the front and the back of the quad. There is also an elevator for
students and teachers who are unable to use the stairs and a huge wheelchair accessible
ramp in the back quad. The library is upstairs and easily accessible. Each major
classroom building is separated by three halls making it easy for students to travel
through. To the best of the schools ability, the halls are separated by department. Math is
in one hall, social students in another, etc. There are not many signs around, the hallway
walls and outside walls are mainly bare with a few exceptions of needing a hall pass and
bulletin boards for extra curricular activities.

5. Examine school traditions, achievements and awards; community recognition or community partners;
extracurricular activities/clubs and athletics. Look for and document sources of community pride and
sense of identity through ceremonies, assemblies, trophies, and artifacts.

Las Vegas High School has been around for over 100 years! The first school was founded
in 1902 and was originally named Clark County School. The name was changed to its
current name in 1911 and moved to current location in 1993. My father actually went to
this school and so did myself and my two siblings. The first tradition began in 1957, it is
called the bone game. This is an annual football game that LVHS plays against their rival
school Rancho High School. The trophy is a large cow bone that was preserved in bronze
and his name is Sir Herk. The bone has been at LVHS for 23 years straight. A newer
tradition involves the basketball team that began in 2008. This annual game is called the
Red V Game and it is against the school’s rival Valley High School. Aside from traditional
sports games, there are assemblies that create a sense of community and identity.
During football season, assemblies and spirit days are every game day (typically Friday).
Not only are classes shorter, school gets out earlier and students get to spend time at
the assembly with friends and cheering on their fellow classmates. Most of Las Vegas
High Schools trophies and accomplishments can be found behind glass in the cafeteria.
Other trophies are in the gymnasium protected by locked glass, such as the bone Sir
Herk. In addition to athletics, the school has about 40 clubs. A few clubs are Key club,
KIN club, bible club, chess team and SOL (Student Organization of Latinos).

Culture of the Classroom: Each classroom has its own culture and way of life.

1. Look for teacher expectations for learning and success.

The teacher clearly has a passion for her job and wants her students to learn and
succeed. Although she has to deal with behavior problems from certain students, she is
kind enough to give them the homework assignment or quiz if they are sent out of the
classroom. There are no students that I can see that she has “given up” on or stopped
teaching because they don’t care. She treats every student equally and gives them
multiple chances and opportunities to make up work. Even if that means they have to
come in after school for help.

2. Evaluate the level of student participation in the class. Who participates? Who does not?

Student participation level is even throughout all six classes. A bout half of the class is
actively participating, yelling out answers and responding to teachers questions. There
are some students who constantly put their heads down and the teacher will stop lesson
and tell them to put their heads up. I saw detention being given for repeat offenders
sleeping in class. There is no specific demographic of who participates and who does
not. Even her talkative and sometimes problematic students are active during lessons.

3. Evaluate the interactions between teacher and students, rapport, cohesiveness, distribution of power,
teacher personality.

Teacher and student interactions are for the most part friendly. There are a select few
students who get enjoyment from being disrespectful and undermining but overall they
all seem to like her. Most of the students who act out do it to get a reaction out of the
other students. None of the students raise their hands quietly to be called on, most of
them either just shout out “MISS!” or raise their hand and say miss at the same time. Her
classroom is truly an experience. My first observation day all the classes were almost
unbearable in my opinion but the following week it was like an entirely different setting.
Overall, she is the teacher and the students are aware of this but she is not abusive to
her power. She creates an open and warm environment for her students and they are
playful with her because of this.

ASSIGNMENT #5 (Cooperating Teacher Interview): Arrange for a convenient time to interview your
cooperating teacher. Ask the questions below. Include any school document, handouts, etc. the teacher
provides..

1: What was the primary reason you became a teacher?

Mrs.Koteff quickly responded , “Because it looked fun!” Then she followed with, it felt natural to
her but mainly because it looked fun.

2: What are the main challenges you face as a teacher?

The main challenges she faces as a teacher is moody students. She elaborated by explaining
that freshman and sophomores have not yet learned how to handle their emotions especially
when it pertains to the outside world and they tend to bring that into the classroom. She said
that there is no fixing a moody student, when they are in a mood you just have to leave them
alone and hope they sit quietly during the lesson.

3: What is the best part of being a teacher?

The best part of being a teacher for her are the thank you letters she receives. She has an entire
binder that she keeps at home that is full of letters and drawings from over the past ten years
that students have written her. When she has a rough day, she refers to this binder to remind
her why she started teaching in the first place.

4: How do you determine where students sit in class?

In the beginning of the year, the students are seated alphabetically. She gives a survey at the
beginning of the year that asks students about their interests, learning strengths and
weaknesses. After a few months, this helps her create a new seating chart. She will usually put
the students who do not cause problems or who do not need as much help in middle seats
because they are the hardest to get to. Students who are talkative or cause disruption are
seated in the front and the back.

5: How do you select members of any flexible groups?

When selecting members of flexible groups she bases it on compatibility and behavior. What
students will work best together and how will they benefit from the seating. Putting all talkative
students does not always work but she knows that some students still get work done even if
they are talking.

6: How often do you interact with parents in person? What are the main reasons for interactions with parents?

Parent interaction by the district, requires teachers to have two interactive nights a year with
parents and this does not include freshman parent night that is held at the beginning of each
year. Other than that, she usually phone calls parents for behavior issues. On average she says
it is about two per week.

7: How much grading do you complete on a daily/weekly basis?

Depending on her mood and personal life, she spends about two hours daily on grading. She
does not grade weekly because students will fall too far behind.

8: How long does it take to prepare lessons for the day/week?

She tries to get ahead of schedule so that she is not preparing lessons the week of. She
typically will spend about five hours to lesson plan a complete unit.

9: What procedures or strategies do you use to maximize instructional time?

Strategies that she uses to maximize instructional time is the use of the TI calculators. The
students grab a calculator when they first walk into class and the warm up questions are on the
calculator. This saves her time by not having to calm the class down and also allows her to
multitask by collecting homework from the previous night.

10: What positive reinforcements you used successfully? What behavioral consequences seem most effective
with this age group?

Positive reinforcements that she has used successfully are giving students candy for going to
the board to work out a problem. She does not pick on anyone particular she uses a random
name drawing that picks the students and if they go up, they get a small piece of candy. She
also says that since the students are young, a simple thank you goes a long way. Behavioral
consequences are not as effective for her, she said it varies between the days but asking nicely
USUALLY works.

11: How are specialist teachers involved in your instructional planning and process?

Mrs. Koteff actually worked with a special ed teacher at this school for five years before she
became a math teacher. This allowed her to really see what her students, especially her ELL’s
need. In her lesson plans, they are automatically catered to her ELL students since they make
up more than half of her class. She also allows them to use cheat sheets that they call in special
ed anchor charts to help them with memorizing formulas during tests and quizzes. She still has
a very close relationship with the specialist teacher she worked with so they are actively
involved with lesson planning together.

12: How often are you evaluated, and what measurement tool is used by the administration for determining your
teaching performance?

Evaluations happen twice a year for her since she is a tenured teacher. The first is pre
conference and the second is post conference. The measurement tool used is called the
licensed employee appraisal report. It is a very detail report that has sections graded on a scale
of 1-5. One being poor performance and five exceeding expectations.

13: What consequences are there if your evaluation is not favorable?

If the evaluation is not favorable, your job as a teacher is to look it over and see what needs to
be adjusted to make improvements. They will re evaluate you at another point during the year
and if you are still not meeting requirements you will be written up.

14: What surprised you most about teaching as a profession?

What surprised her the most about teaching as a profession are that some parts are never
explained to you. She specifically is talking about the staff and communication problems. When
she first arrived at the school, she would not ask other teachers for help. Anytime she had a
question she would directly go to the supervisor because she did not like the feeling of getting
the wrong information. This isolated her from the other teaching staff for a few years but she
felt it was better than learning about the school incorrectly. Her advice: Make sure you are at a
school with great communication so you aren’t lost when you first become a teacher.

ASSIGNMENT #6 (Observing a student): Discretely observe one student in your assigned classroom during
direct instruction. Explain what the student did during the observation. Summarize the lesson given and the
student’s responses to the lesson. Make sure to document ALL behavior in relationship to what was being
presented by the classroom teacher. Please describe what you discovered about the student’s learning styles,
involvement in class, and his/her educational needs.

The student I observed was a hispanic female. She is a sophomore and part of my observation
teachers Algebra I class. She is an ROTC student, the reason I know this is because on the
second day of observation all ROTC students had to wear their uniforms to school. She is very
quiet but friendly. The student addressed me during both observation days and said hi. She
came to class on time and was one of the few students who actually had her homework done
and ready to turn in. The lesson that was given was a unit of factoring and they had a quiz on
trinomials. She seemed to know the material and took notes during the lesson. She was not
afraid to ask questions if she needed more clarification. During the lesson, she got up and
grabbed another students workbook for him without him even asking. This is such a great
characteristic to see in students because she truly cares about others success. I did notice
during notes, she pulled out a drawing from her backpack and began working on that. She
pulled out a handful of colorful sharpies and started to doodle on her notes as well. This told me
that she is clearly an artist who loves to draw. Because of her desire to draw, doodle and color
coordinate notes, I believe she is a kinesthetic learner. She also seemed to skim through the
book first during note taking and she uses her fingers to count. Overall, this particular student is
one of her good students. It was very interesting to observe her in class during my visit at Las
Vegas High School.

ASSIGNMENT #7 (Summary): Thoroughly summarize and reflect upon your entire 10 hour Field Observation.
What did you observe, learn, realize about teachers, students, instruction, the school environment? How has this
observation better prepared you to understand the teaching profession? How does the observation relate to the
text information and class activities? What specific ideas on teaching will you remember to include in your
classroom?

Overall, the 10 hours I spent in the classroom gave me an entirely different perspective on
teaching when observing from a teachers point of view vs being a student. I learned a lot about
how to handle disruptive behavior and how much seating really matters. The first day I observed
the desks were in groups and it just did not work for her talkative students, the following week
once they were back in rows it was a completely different experience. I learned how important it
is to be aware of the different ways your students learn and to build a strong relationship with
them early so they are comfortable with you. Observing a teacher who deals with mainly ELL
students taught me that you have to be patient and willing to be as flexible with your students
as possible. Instruction needs to be organized and well thought out so that your students do not
get bored and lose focus. I believe that LVHS has a great school environment, students are
diverse and there is a ton of school spirit. Everything in our textbook is spot on. From getting to
know your students, different learning and teaching styles and especially the chapter that
touches base on hispanic students and struggling with English. It is so important to have well
rounded knowledge when walking into a classroom because every student is different and every
student has a story. In my own classroom, I will be sure to make classroom rules a priority in
the beginning of the year as well as spending time making a connection to my students.
Although we had to observe a high school, the students were only freshmen and it is clear that
they are still kids at heart. They are misunderstood, moody and do not really understand the
importance of education. My goal as a teacher will be to establish a relationship with my
students that earns their trust and create instruction that correlates with the outside world so
that they feel a connection to the information they are learning.

Remember that before receiving the final grade for this EDU 202 course, the CSN student must submit
the completed Field Observation Activities Packet, Time Log, and Student Evaluation to the CSN
instructor for grading.

The cooperating teacher must also email the instructor to confirm the successful completion of the
observation. The student must also provide the CCSD cooperating teacher with their CSN professor’s
email, so the cooperating teacher can send an email to verify that the student has successfully completed
the 10 hours of observation.

The instructor’s email is provided on the first page of this packet, and on the next page for the
cooperating teacher.
Remember that completion of the Field Observation is a PASS/FAIL component of the course.
Remember to save this completed packet in digital form, and as a hard copy for the Education
Department’s capstone course, (EDU 299)


COOPERATING TEACHER INFORMATION - CSN FIELD OBSERVATIONS

Dear Cooperating Teacher,

Thank you for assisting in the preparation of a new generation of Nevada teachers. Our education majors are
required to complete 10 field observation hours in:

EDU 202 Introduction To Secondary Education

This class is where many of our students actually make the decision whether they will continue further study of
the profession. We appreciate you joining us in providing these students with a wonderful first experience in the
classroom. If at all possible, please utilize the student to assist you in supervised classroom instructional
activities if you deem them ready.

We are hopeful that the information we have enclosed with this letter, which has been approved by the Nevada
College Consortium, will help you with a clear sense of how this field experience works.

When the student has completed his/her required observation hours, please complete and sign the “FIELD
OBSERVATION TIME LOG” and “FIELD OBSERVATION STUDENT EVALUATION” (along with the student).
Then, return these two pages to the student who will submit them to his/her professor. For your convenience,
the student has provided you with CSN contact information below. Please contact the CSN instructor if there
are any questions or concerns.

Also, before a final grade for EDU 202 can be assigned, the CSN professor MUST receive your official email
verification that the student successfully completed the 10 hour observation. Please also “cc” the student on
this email. The student WILL NOT receive a final grade in the course until the email is received from you.

CSN Course # & name: EDU 202 Intro. to Secondary Education

CSN Professor: Connie Christensen

CSN Professor’s phone: 702-651-4803

CSN Professor’s email: connie.christensen@csn.edu

Student’s name: Aubreanna Velasco

Student’s email: ayeedj@gmail.com

Should you have any concerns or questions about this process, please feel free to contact the instructor directly,
or the CSN Education Department at: (702) 651-4400.




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CSN Education Department - Field

Observation Activities Packet

● Assignment One - Question 1: What is your first impression of the classroom

THE FIELD OBSERVATION ASSIGNMENTS

CSN Field Observation Packet © CSN Education Department 2017 Page 5

CSN Field Observation Packet © CSN Education Department 2017 Page 6

CSN Field Observation Packet © CSN Education Department 2017 Page 7

CSN Field Observation Packet © CSN Education Department 2017 Page 8

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